Team Norfolk,
The EOC participated in a conference call this afternoon with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service. Based on their Briefing #5, we’re back to around 6-8” of snow with a worst-case scenario of 10”.
The timing hasn’t changed much. Snow should arrive around 6 pm. With the conditions being wet and warm (i.e. above freezing), accumulation on the roads is not likely during this first wave. As you can tell by the Hourly Graph, there is a slight lull during the early morning hours then pick back up around 7 am and to a greater extent in the afternoon and evening. All the while temperatures remain in the 20’s – with 96% cloud coverage – all day Friday until Saturday afternoon.
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for our area from 7 am tomorrow until 10 am Saturday. A Norfolk Alert had gone out to subscribers with this information.
For your planning purposes, here are some operational updates of note:
- City offices will be closed tomorrow.
- Norfolk Public Schools has announced they will be closed tomorrow.
- All Norfolk courts will be closed tomorrow.
- Naval Station Norfolk will be open but to Mission Essential Personnel only
- Norfolk State University Dismissing Early January 20 and Closed January 21 Due to Inclement Weather
- From our friend, Steven Magaro from HRT, Transit Services to End Early on Friday, Snow Routes in Effect Saturday.
To assist Public Works crews working to plow the downtown roads, the York Street parking garage will be available at no cost from 5 pm today until 5 pm Sunday.
There is a VDEM / NWS call scheduled for 11 am; our Policy Team plans to meet and assess in the afternoon.
In the meantime, if there is anything you would like to report or request, please send an email to EOC-Plans@norfolk.gov
Thank you!
Jim Redick, Director
Norfolk Emergency Preparedness and Response